What is LEED? Is this a LEED building?   LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a certification standard created and monitored by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The goal of LEED certification is to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, improve the quality of life for its occupants, and lower operational costs over time. The Central Library is on track to achieve LEED Platinum status, the highest level of LEED certification. The solar panels on our roof and over parking areas produce all the energy we need to run this building and more. The LEED certification also speaks to this building’s energy efficiency and conservation, which includes reduced water use, improved indoor air quality,efficient heating and cooling systems, reduced carbon emissions, and the use of materials that prioritize sustainability.

Where was the wood used in the building sourced from?   Many materials, furnishings, and equipment were sourced from within 500 miles of Central Oregon in Oregon and Washington. The Dowel-Laminated Timber (DLT) that is evident on the ceiling and columns throughout the building is from Canada and is a mix of oak, pine, and fir. DLT is an all-wood, glue-free timber product made by friction-fitting hardwood dowels through stacked softwood lumber. To achieve our high-level LEED certification, all wood must come from sustainably managed forests that use selective logging and replanting to maintain the forest ecosystem. Wood used in the ceiling and in beams and columns is also DLT.

What is the library doing to prevent birds from hitting the glass?   We installed glass that has an integrated dot pattern that breaks up the reflective surface of the glass to reduce bird collisions. You can best see this in place on the northwest corners of the second and third floors. We will continue to monitor our windows and bird interactions.

Why are bookshelves meandering instead of in more traditional straight lines?   The Central Library, and all libraries in Deschutes County, are designed to allow for an interactive browsing experience, much like you would find in a bookstore. The meandering shelves echo that feeling, allowing customers to not only find what they’re looking for, but to discover more along the way.

What are some of the library features that are different from the Downtown Bend Library?

• A range in sizes of public meeting and study rooms on the second and third floors

• A café (Thump Coffee) in the lobby

• A large (and divisible) community meeting room on the first floor

• A MakerSpace (third floor) that gives the public access to hands-on resources

• A Creative Space (second floor) for all-ages programming and self-directed exploration

• A co-working area

• A drive-thru window for holds pick-ups and drive-thru book/DVD/magazine returns

• An Automated Materials Handling (AMH) machine for faster processing of materials

• All-gender restrooms and wellness/lactation rooms

• Children’s discovery area; largest in the county

• “Child-minder” workstations for caregivers of small children

• New public art

How many items are on the shelves?    At opening there are approximately 151,000 items on the shelves. DPL’s overall collection side is 306,000+.

Where did the money come from to build the Central Library?   Library construction and renovation projects were funded by the bond approved by Deschutes County voters in 2020 (20-year bond). This bond paid for the construction of the Central Library and the Redmond library, and the remodeling of the La Pine, Sisters, and Sunriver Libraries and the Downtown Bend Library (currently under renovation). The Central Library came in under budget and on schedule.  

Is the landscaping complete?   Landscaping is mostly complete. Some additional trees, plants, and grasses will be added later this spring to enhance the outdoor spaces. Exterior sculptures are also planned in the next year to further complement the building’s exterior and enrich these public spaces.

Are there charging locations for electric cars?    Yes, there are five charging stations at the Central Library.

Is there a bus that stops near the Central Library?    Yes, Cascades East Transit (CET) Route 6 stops on the east side of 27th at the NW edge of library property.

How long do the lights stay on at night?    The interior and exterior lights are programmed to dim to appropriate but still offer safety protections. All lights are set to dim or turn off, via motion sensors, when the building is unoccupied. The library does contract with a janitorial service to clean the building during evening hours, which may impact the lighting schedules during this time. The lighting levels were analyzed by lighting experts and set to serve our customers for day and evening use and to provide safety lighting in the parking lot and surrounding exterior after hours, while also ensuring that exterior lights do not spoil Central Oregon’s dark skies.

When can the public start reserving meeting rooms?   Public reservations for meeting and study rooms on the second and third floors begin on May 11, with those rooms being available for immediate reservation. Reservations for the community room on the first floor will open on May 11, and the first available reservation date will be July 1.

Where is the staff/reception desk?   Staff are encouraged to help people where they need it—whether that’s at a check-out kiosk, in and amongst the bookshelves, or other public spaces in the library. We are now using mobile workstations and tablets so that we can assist customers at their point of need. There is also an info desk in the lobby.

Is the library going to be open on Sundays?   Yes! Starting May 11, the Central Library will be open 7 days a week:

• Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
• Friday–Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
• Thump café hours: Monday–Sunday, 9:00 a.m –5:00 p.m.

The drive-thru is open 7 days a week, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., for holds pick-ups; it is open 24/7 for the return of books, DVDs, and magazines.

May I take coffee and other purchases from Thump Coffee with me throughout the Library?    Yes, food and beverages are allowed throughout the building. We just ask that you alert staff of any spills.

Can the bond money pay for more books or for the library to bring back Hoopla? What’s the difference between a bond and a levy?   A bond and a levy are both funding mechanisms typically used by public institutions (schools, libraries, local governments) to raise money, but they serve different purposes and are structured differently. Bonds fund capital (building) projects, such as the construction of a new library building or a major renovation; a portion of bond funds can be used for opening day collections, but cannot be used for things like staffing, Hoopla, or operations. A levy pays for operational type expenses such as staff positions and extending hours. The Deschutes Public Library District operates with a .55/$1,000 tax rate that was approved when voters approved the Library District in 1998; it has not changed since that time.

What is AMH? Why does the library have AMH? Will this mean fewer jobs for library staff?   AMH stands for Automatic Materials Handling. This machine receives returned library items, checks them in, and sorts them into categories (such as books with holds on them, books that need to go to another location, books to be shelved, etc.). The AMH allows us to get books and other library materials into the hands of the public more quickly. This does not mean fewer jobs for library staff; it means library staff have more opportunities to work with the public rather than process materials.

Can I leave my child alone in the discovery space area while I look for books or use the MakerSpace equipment?   Children younger than 10 years old must be accompanied by an adult caregiver at all times in the library. Children 10 years old and older can be in the library without an adult caregiver; this follows guidance under ORS 163.545. Please remember that parents and caregivers, not library staff, are responsible for their children’s behavior, safety, and supervision when using the library.

Can teachers schedule school visits? Are there general tours available?   Teachers can schedule school visits through the Community Librarian team (each school has a Community Librarian liaison). Teachers can visit dpl.pub/school and fill out the form for “Educator Support.” Docents will provide tours of the Central Library at regular intervals Monday through Saturday:

• Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays: 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.
• Tuesdays: 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m, 5:30 p.m.

Maps of the library are also available (in English and Spanish).

Where can I make comments about the building/furniture/space/lighting/parking/collections/etc?   We have an online comment form at www.deschuteslibrary.org/about/contact that customers can fill out. Questions are routed to the staff member who specializes in the area.

CENTRAL LIBRARY: ART

How did you select the art for this building?   The library established the Art Committee for Deschutes Public Libraries after the bond passed in 2020. The Art Committee is comprised of representatives from each of our communities within Deschutes County, including: two architects, a local art professor, several local artists, arts and culture leaders, community leaders, and the Library’s Assistant Director of Community Engagement. The Art Committee follows standard protocols set by the Oregon Arts Commission in the curation/selection of art pieces and follows a national selection process from CallForEntry.org (CaFE). We accepted art submissions from artists who reside in the western United States with a larger emphasis placed on local Oregon and Pacific Northwest artists.

Can you tell me more about the large sculpture over the stairs?   Juniper, a large-scale art installation by John Grade is suspended over the central stairway. Juniper weighs 2,500~ pounds, attaches to the ceiling with 1,440 cables, is made up of 8,456 individual wood pieces, and is constructed from Alaskan yellow cedar that has been sustainably sourced. The sculpture is inspired by the expansion of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) trees and the contraction of glaciers within Deschutes County. The sculpture takes the form of the surface of an alpine valley conflated with concentric growth rings of the interior of a western juniper. At the top of this undulating form is an additional layer of forms inspired by a retreating glacier. The inspiration for these forms was old-growth western junipers growing within Deschutes County and the alpine topography around the summit of South Sister Mountain where glaciers are currently retreating.

What other art can be found in the building?   Umpqua River Valley artist Sara Siestreem (Hanis Coos) combines the ceremonial traditions of her ancestors with contemporary modes and materials in her two vibrant mixed-media paintings above the Thump café.

Central Oregon resident and long-time spoken word poet, performer, and painter, MOWO, has created prose and paintings to provoke positive connections within the negative space of perceived differences. His four paintings can be found on the third floor across from the MakerSpace.

Portland artist Jeremy Okai Davis’s portraits of the Phelps family, the first-known Black family in Central Oregon, welcomes visitors to the third floor. These portraits are located directly across from the elevator.

Is there going to be more art in the Central Library?    Yes, more art is on its way to the Central Library. Later this summer, artist, poet, and former Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani will install four panels of poetry and graphics in the teen area. This September, Seattle artist and one-time Bend resident Sarah Helen More will install a colorful mosaic of glass and tiles to greet children of all ages to the second floor, across from the elevators.